My first experience with Remedy Entertainment was not actually through the first Alan Wake game, but through Control. Control was an action game featuring a few Souls-like elements, but told a very unique (if confusing at times) story, with a very interestingly crafted universe. It was through Control’s DLC expansions that I come to find out about the greater “Remedy universe,” which included Alan Wake. I attempted to give Alan Wake a shot after the remastered edition came out, and honestly was not able to continue the game for long because I thought the gameplay felt extremely dated and tedious to get through. However, the uniqueness of the narrative ultimately led me to give the series a second chance when Remedy released the long-overdue sequel, Alan Wake 2. Fortunately this time around, I was able to see the game to its end, and while I will admit that this type of game is ultimately not quite my cup of tea, Alan Wake 2 is still a very special experience that I will not forget for a while.
The game is a direct sequel to the first Alan Wake. The premise of the first game follows the titular protagonist, Alan Wake, who is a famous novelist struggling with writer’s block. His wife takes him on a vacation to a small town known as Bright Falls, and there he encounters a supernatural phenomenon tied to the lake next to the town, known as Cauldron Lake. The lake contains an otherworldly entity known as the “Dark Presence,” which kidnaps his wife and traps her in Cauldron Lake. *SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST ALAN WAKE* The game ends with Alan Wake managing to rescue his wife at the cost of himself, and the game ends with him being trapped in the place that the Dark Presence resides in, known as the “Dark Place.” *END SPOILERS* Alan Wake 2 tracks the perspective of two different characters: Alan Wake himself, and an FBI agent known as Saga Anderson who is sent to Bright Falls to investigate the strange incidents surrounding the town and Cauldron Lake.
Gameplay:
My biggest criticism of the first Alan Wake was the gameplay. Granted, it was released in 2010, so it will obviously feel dated but it was frankly a bit rough. Combat in the game was basically shining a flashlight on the enemies to expose their vulnerabilities, then shooting them. It was not particularly engaging, and felt very tedious to the point I was not able to continue with the game. Fast forward to Alan Wake 2 in 2023, and while the core gameplay loop has significantly improved over the first game, it is definitely not one of the game’s strengths to be sure. Combat is still the same; shine a light on the shadows then shoot them. Movement and shooting mechanics feel significantly improved over the first game, but not enough to the point where I would say it is a selling point.
Combat aside, Alan Wake 2 is essentially a detective game at its core. Whether one is playing as Alan or Saga, the primary goal of the game is basically to figure out what exactly is going on, and piece together the puzzle that is the overall narrative. The interesting part is that there are slight but important differences in gameplay between Alan and Saga, fitting with their different occupations. Alan’s gameplay sections involve in setting scenes with different scenarios, in line with his career as a writer. He can change the environment in the Dark Place by writing different scenarios, and these scenarios can be freely swapped, and the further he progresses the more clues he can find. Saga, being a detective, is focused more on gathering clues and piecing together story bits, and the player can build up cases and add to them with each new piece of information discovered. I enjoyed this aspect of the game initially as I thought it was pretty cool and unique, but honestly the novelty wore off somewhat quickly and towards the end of the game I found things to be more tedious than intriguing.
Writing:
Alan Wake 2’s writing is easily the game’s biggest selling point. Honestly, I do not quite know whether I can definitively say whether the story is actually good or not, but it is definitely unique. The idea of the titular protagonist being trapped in an alternate dimension that’s connected to a lake, using his abilities as an author to try and alter reality to escape, along with Saga trying to piece together the mystery of Bright Falls together makes for an incredibly weird, yet engaging narrative. The weirdness is what makes it charming, because of how unapologetically different it is; whether it be sections with random musical numbers or constantly switching between the Dark Place and the real world (and eventually even that distinction starts to blur a bit as the game’s story progresses). This is not an anomaly with Alan Wake 2; this “weirdness” is basically a Remedy staple at this point, considering Remedy’s other works that I have experienced.
Despite the strangeness of the world of Alan Wake, the narrative still manages to remain grounded because of the main characters. Alan and Saga are both relatable and realistic characters just trying to make sense of the odd circumstances they find themselves in. Alan himself is not a superhero; he is an ordinary man that through his circumstances found himself trapped in a weird place with even weirder powers, and ultimately his priority is just escaping the hell-scape he has been suffering in for over a decade so he can return to a normal life with his wife. Saga on the other hand, is a decorated FBI agent with a stable family, but as the events of the narrative progress and reality gradually distorts due to the consequences of them trying to defeat the Dark Presence, she finds herself in more desperate and vulnerable situations that make her feel like an actual person with strengths and flaws. The various supporting characters in the story do not receive the same amount of attention, but are unique and quirky in their own right, and at the very least entertaining to interact with.
Misc/Ending Thoughts:
Another thing Alan Wake 2 does extremely well is in its atmosphere and mood; the game features quite a few horror elements, and does a brilliant job of making the game feel creepy, and downright terrifying at times. I will say I am not a fan of the occasional jump-scares the game likes to throw out, but perhaps those who are more appreciative of the horror genre will feel right at home with them. The game also looks very impressive visually, which amplifies the creepiness of the game because of how good/realistic the graphics are.
Outside of the story, my favorite part of the game is the soundtrack. Alan Wake 2’s soundtrack is full of straight bangers, especially all of its songs featuring the band Poets of the Fall. The few musical sections in the game featuring their music were probably my favorite sequences to go through in the entire game, in part due to how great the songs are. “Herald of Darkness” and “Anger’s Remorse” are the obvious standouts, but there is not a single bad track to be found.
Overall, while I must say I did not really enjoy the core gameplay loop, I found it serviceable enough to experience the story and the rest of the game, which in my opinion makes Alan Wake 2 completely worth experiencing. Fortunately the game is not super long; it took me roughly 15 hours or so to clear the main story, so having to tolerate only 15 hours of mediocre gameplay for the incredibly unique experience it offers is not a bad deal at all.
Rating: Must-buy for anyone who is into thriller/horror games, and for anyone who is already familiar with Remedy games. I personally would not pay full retail for it as it is not exactly my preferred genre of game, but the value is there.
